New nex-ea50 film: japanese garden

[Noa Put]

Shot today with my Sony nex-ea50 to test the camera without any preset, most of the footage is with a 24mm and a 85mm f1.4 lens from Samyang, a few shots at the end where also with a 14mm f2.8 from Samyang.

This was filmed in Hasselt, Belgium, it's the biggest Japanese garden in Europe, I was quite disappointed that the Japanese house and the little tea-house where not open for public so I could only shoot from a distance and in about 2 hours I had seen the place, barely enough to have about 2 minutes worth of footage, but I think that not using any preset was a good choice for bright sunny weather, colors look very nice to me. I wish there was a one preset does it all but it looks like more then one has to be used depending on the situation, not necessarily bad but you need to watch out you dial in the right one.

Japanese garden on Vimeo

[Noa Put]

Edit, replacing the video right now so it could be it's offline for a short while or that you"ll only see the sd version while the hd version is encoding, I found an error in the sound and I didn't apply the right settings for the slowed down footage, that's what happens if you don't have the time but still want to squeeze in a personal project :)

[Al Gardner]

Awesome work. Really highlights what this camera can do.

Do you have any interview footage from this camera?


You've given me some ideas. I was just hired to shoot a tree, believe it or not a a womans home in San Diego. So i wound up shooting a lot of different elements in the garden. While this is not really my kind of video, I need to find a music piece to put behind it.

[Noa Put]

No, no interview footage from me but some on my blog: Filming interviews | Sony nex ea50 user blog

We always get so deep into presets that sometimes the default one is forgotten, it was about the same with my xh-a1, so many presets to choose from and I ended up using no preset and color corrected in post. no preset on teh ea50 is however no so good for indoor, there I prefer to shoot with more DR and correct in post if needed but for sunny outside shots I think I"ll use no preset next time.

[John Vincent]

Nice work Noa. How do you like that 24mm Samyang lens? I've read mixed things....

[James Manford]

Damn those Samyang lenses are tasty aren't they! produce sharp results.

Great work as usual Noa, makes me want to visit that garden for a walk!

No preset looks good with colour correction / grading.

Can you give me three examples i.e. times in the video. Where each of the lenses you mentioned where used so I can get an understanding of what shot you captured with what lens.

Thanks in advance!

[Al Gardner]

I was hired to shoot of all things a tree. Now how do you make a tree interesting. Anyway the tree is common but unique in the way it branches out as most of them just grow straight out and round.
So I decided to shoot the other elements in the garden as well. She flew me from New Orleans to San Diego just days before the tree would lose it's short lived blooms.

I shot all the moving shots with the EX1R and the static shots with the Canon 60D.

I find Noa's camera very tempting. But I am satisfied with my EX1, but the 50 looks like it would be great for interviews.

Anyway here is the tree shoot.

Maryann's Garden on Vimeo

[Noa Put]

I picked below video yesterday on vimeo from the same garden I filmed but the guy was there a month before me when everything was "blossoming" (not sure if that's the right word but you"ll see what I mean) I had a bit of a wtf moment because at that time I was shooting trees in blossom in an other area and when I saw his video I knew I picked the wrong time to shoot the Japanese garden. He did use a Panasonic hc-x900 and I get the same feeling from his video as with the one from your ex1, they very sharp and colorful but they do have that "video" look to it while the ea50 has a softer more filmic look which I find more appealing.

Japanese Garden Hasselt, Belgium on Vimeo

[James Manford]

The Japanese Garden done with the Panasonic looks broadcast quality. The same quality you would see on television. Where as Noa's version looks suited to cinema. Like it's part of a film.

The static Canon 60D shots again, looks filmic where as the EX1 shots look very video-like. And I noticed a lot of judder in the movement.

I prefer the filmic look. But I bet a client wouldn't care about either style as they both look good.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by James Manford

Can you give me three examples i.e. times in the video. Where each of the lenses you mentioned where used so I can get an understanding of what shot you captured with what lens.

You can get it all :) Lens used (in mm) in order of appearance in the video:

85, 85, 24, 85, 24, 85, 24, 24, 85, 85, 85, 24, 85, 85, 85, 24, 24, 24, 24, 85, 85, 85, 85, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 14.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by John Vincent

How do you like that 24mm Samyang lens? I've read mixed things....

My favorite lens is the 85mm which I mainly use for talking heads at weddings, I also like the 24mm a lot, it's the only cine version I have and the iris ring is buttersmooth, focusing in run and gun is not easy though.

[Dave Vickers]

This is great.! The colours and feel are incredible, I'm off for some sushi!

[Noa Put]

I only wish I was there a month ago when all the trees where blossoming but that will be for next year. :) My next short will most likely be in the city Bruges.

[Al Gardner]

Originally Posted by James Manford

The Japanese Garden done with the Panasonic looks broadcast quality. The same quality you would see on television. Where as Noa's version looks suited to cinema. Like it's part of a film.

The static Canon 60D shots again, looks filmic where as the EX1 shots look very video-like. And I noticed a lot of judder in the movement.

I prefer the filmic look. But I bet a client wouldn't care about either style as they both look good.

That's a perfect observation. I prefer Noa's ea50 look to the EX1 in this case. Although I'm just as happy with the 60D look, I really don't like the hassle of dslr shooting. In this particular case I should have shot entirely with the 60D. I could have traveled with a lot less equipment. I'm glad we posted this though because my EX1 is my everyday corporate camera and obviously not as well suited for this type of shoot. Although one huge problem I have is shooting in sunlight. I can not see my lcd well enough and I wind up making telling corrections in post that should have been right to begin with. I'm always better off when I turn my lcd to black and white for exposure.

I don't really need another camera right now but the ea50 would be high on my list.

and you're right, the client is overjoyed. As for me I'm still banging my head against the wall.

[Dave Vickers]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

I only wish I was there a month ago when all the trees where blossoming but that will be for next year. :) My next short will most likely be in the city Bruges.

Great city - but then you gotta watch 'In Bruges' before you go. Great film and very pretty in places.